Cannae Redux

[RobertF]

I just replayed the Cannae battle as the Romans against the Carthaginians (controlled by the AI).

Instead of going with the default deployment, I shifted my troops around: reformed my infantry (& bringing up the triarii) into an extended double rank line with the right flank safely anchored on the Aufidius River, and all my cav massed on my left flank.

Having done that (while the AI patiently waited), I committed the Roman infantry to attacking Hannibal's left flank while keeping his right flank distracted with my cavalry. This defeat in detail worked quite well, though admittedly the FoG2 AI is pretty dopey. Hannibal's cavalry launched futile attacks against my infantry but ultimately they had to give way with heavy casualties. I could then grind down Hannibal's infantry with a local superiority in numbers. It also helped that I bulked up my army by purchasing more units in the scenario menu.

I have to wonder why the Romans didn't consider this deployment - they had enough infantry to completely surround the Carthaginian army.

At any rate would be fun to play against an experienced human opponent!

[deeter]

Carthage wouldn't stand a chance in a player v. player match I'm afraid.

Deeter

[RobertF]

Good point.

To defeat the Roman army in the scenario I described, Hannibal could resort to an oblique order - massing his best infantry to hit the Roman line at one spot and punch through (ideally on one flank) and then roll up the rest of the Roman line.

Hannibal's cavalry was superior to the Romans in quality and numbers. If he suspected the Romans were stationing all of their cav on one flank he could have simply countered with his own & still held the upper hand. Maybe the Romans could have then used a ruse - secretly position infantry behind the main line to strike the pursuing Carthaginian cavalry, as Caesar did at Pharsalus. (Which reminds me - would be nice if hidden deployments were an option in FoG2.)

[deeter]

Unlike in history, all the Romans need to do is put their abundant triarii on the flanks to completely neuter the Carthaginian cavalry as is commonly done in FOG.

Deeter